Mishkat al-Masabih

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “We who are last shall be first on the day of resurrection, although were given the Book before us and we were given it after them. It follows that this was their day which was prescribed for them (meaning Friday), but they disagreed about it and God guided us to it. The people come after us with regard to it, the Jews observing the next day and the Christians the day following that.” (Bukhari and Muslim) In a version by Muslim he said, “We who are last shall be first on the day of resurrection, and we shall be the first to enter paradise although . . .”, and he mentioned something similar up to the end. In another version by him from Abu Huraira and Hudhaifa they reported God’s Messenger as saying at the end of the tradition, “We are the last of the people in this world and shall be the first on the day of resurrection, this being decreed for us before all creatures.”

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was brought into paradise, on it he was expelled from it, and the last hour will take place on no day other than Friday.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim will ask God for what is good without His giving it to him.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) Muslim added that he said it is a short period. In a version by both of them he said, “There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim will stand and pray asking God for what is good without His giving him it.”

I heard my father say that he heard God’s Messenger say regarding the time on Friday, “It is between the time when the imam sits down and the end of the prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

I went out to at-Tur and met Ka'b al-Ahbar with whom I sat, he telling me about the Torah and I telling him about God's Messenger. One of the things I told him was that God's Messenger had said, “The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was cast down , on it his repentance was accepted, on it he died, on it the last hour will come, on Friday every beast is on the outlook from dawn to sunrise from fear of the last hour, but not jinn and men, and it contains a time at which no Muslim will pray and ask anything from God without His giving him it." Ka'b said that was one day every year, but when I insisted that it was on every Friday Ka'b read the Torah and said that God's Messenger had spoken the truth. Abu Huraira said: I met ‘Abdallah b. Salam and told him of my meeting with Ka'b al-Ahbar and of what I had told him about Friday, telling him that Ka'b had said that was one day every year. ‘Abdallah b. Salam said that Ka'b had lied, but when I told him that Ka'b afterwards read the Torah and said that it was every Friday he said that Ka'b had spoken the truth. ‘Abdallah b. Salam then said that he knew what time it was, and when I asked him to tell me about it and not keep it to himself he replied that it was at the very end of Friday. I asked how that could be when God's Messenger had said, “No Muslim will pray in it . . . and he asked me if God’s Messenger had not said, “If anyone is seated waiting for the prayer he is engaged in the prayer until he observes it." When I replied that that was so he said that that was how it came about. Malik, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it up to the statement that Ka'b had spoken the truth.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Seek the time in which hope is placed on Friday from after the afternoon prayer till sunset." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Aus b. Aus reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Among the most excellent of your days is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he died, on it the last trump will be blown, and on it the shout will be made, so invoke many blessings on me that day, for your blessing will be submitted to me." He was asked how that could be when his body had decayed* and replied, "God has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of prophets.” *The text here gives two alternative words, both with the same meaning, the first being aramta, and the second balita, the latter being the more common. Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Darimi and Baihaqi, in ad-Da‘awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "The promised day is the day of resurrection, the day which is witnessed is the day of ‘Arafa, and the witness* is Friday on no more excellent day than which has the sun risen or set. It contains a time at which no believing worshipper will supplicate God for what is good without God answering him, or seek refuge from something without His giving him refuge from it.” * Al-Qur’an; 85:2 f. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying that this is a gharib tradition known only among the traditions of Musa b. ‘Ubaida who is declared to be weak.

on it God created Adam, on it God sent Adam down to the earth, on it God took Adam in death, it contains a time at which no one will ask for anything without God giving it, so long as he does not ask for anything unlawful, and on it the last hour will come. There is no angel near God’s presence, or sky, or earth, or winds, or mountains, or sea which do not fear Friday.” Ibn Majah transmitted it. Ahmad transmitted from Sa'd b. Mu'adh that one of the Ansar went to the Prophet and asked him to tell him about the good contained in Friday. He replied, "It has five distinguishing characteristics ...” and he carried on to the end of the tradition.

Abu Huraira said that when the Prophet was asked for what reason Friday got its name he replied, "Because on it the nature of your father Adam was fashioned, on it will take place the shout and the resurrection of the dead, on it the assault* will take place, and at the end of three hours in it there is a time at which anyone who makes supplication to God will be answered." * cf. Al-Qur’an, 44:16. Ahmad transmitted it.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Invoke many blessings on me on Friday for it is witnessed. The angels are present on it, and no one will invoke a blessing on me without his blessing being submitted to me till he stops." He said that he asked whether that applied also after his death, and he replied, “God has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the prophets;" so God’s prophet is alive and given provision. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's Messenger as saying, “Any Muslim who dies on Friday or on Thursday night will be protected by God from the testing in the grave." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a gharib tradition whose isnad is not fully connected.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that a Jew who was with him when he recited, “Today I have perfected for you your religion . . ."(Al-Qur’an; 5:3) remarked, “If this verse had been revealed to us we would have made it a festival." Ibn ‘Abbas replied, “It was revealed on a day which contained two festivals, on a Friday and on the day of ‘Arafa." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Anas said that when Rajab came God’s Messenger said, “O God, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban and bring us to Ramadan.” He also quoted him as saying, “Thursday night is a very bright night and Friday is a shining day.” Baihaqi transmitted it in ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Huraira said they heard God’s Messenger say on the beams of his pulpit, “People must cease to neglect the Friday prayers, or God will seal up their hearts and they will be among the negligent.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abul Ja‘d ad-Dumairi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone fails to observe the prayers on three Fridays through holding it in small esteem,'God will seal up his heart.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. Malik transmitted it from Safwan b. Sulaim, and Ahmad from Abu Qatada.

Samura b. Jundub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone omits the Friday prayer without excuse he must give a dinar in alms, or if he does not have as much, half a dinar.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported the Prophet as saying, “The Friday prayer is obligatory on him who hears the call.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “The Friday prayer is obligatory on him who can get home to his family by night.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a tradition whose isnad is weak.

a slave, a woman, a boy, or an invalid.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. In Sharh as-sunna it occurs with the same wording as in al-Masabih from a man of the B. Wa’il.